Review: Betty Blue Eyes

Musicals can sometimes take themselves too seriously. While that was never likely to be a risk with a production based on an Alan Bennett text, the levels of whimsy in Betty Blue Eyes need to be seen to be believed.

Gilbert Chilvers (Haydn Oakley) is the new chiropodist in town and his wife Joyce (Amy Booth-Steel) can’t rest until they’ve ingratiated themselves with the local bigwigs.

In the midst of post-war rationing that means bagging an invite to ‘a private function’ to celebrate Princess Elizabeth’s marriage – and the delectation of a succulent (but unlicensed) pig.

That the pig becomes one of the main characters gives some indication of how bonkers this show is, but it is exuberantly and tastily so, yet resists the temptation to really ham it up.

The ensemble cook up a surreal world of ration books, suspicion and (possibly) hallucinogenic delight.